The Trump administration has taken a major step toward its long-stated goal of shrinking, and eventually closing, the U.S. Department of Education. On Tuesday, officials announced a sweeping plan to move many of the department’s core responsibilities to other federal agencies.
This plan would affect programs that support K-12 schools, colleges, international education, Native education, and more. Supporters say the changes will cut federal red tape and get money to classrooms faster. Critics say it will harm students, weaken civil rights protections, and create confusion across the country.
What Did The Administration Announce?
Under the new plan, many of the Education Department’s most important functions will be shifted to other parts of the federal government. Programs that were run by the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Office of Postsecondary Education are set to move, mainly to the Department of Labor.
Other key shifts include:
- Child care grants for college students moving to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
- Oversight of some foreign medical school accreditation moving to HHS.
- Fulbright programs and international education grants moving to the State Department.
- The Office of Indian Education moving to the Interior Department.
According to administration officials, these moves are part of a larger effort to “right-size” the Education Department and prepare the way for closing it altogether. Shutting the department fully would still require an act of Congress.
Why Does The Administration Want To Shrink The Department?
President Trump has long argued that education decisions should be made by states and local communities, not by Washington. During his campaigns, he often called for closing the Education Department and returning power to the states.
Supporters of the new plan say it will:
- Cut layers of federal bureaucracy.
- Reduce the number of federal workers involved in school policy.
- Send more money directly to classrooms instead of to administration.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon framed the move as an attempt to “refocus education on students, families and schools.” She argued that the current system is too complex, and that moving programs into agencies that already handle related work, like labor or health, will make the government more efficient.
How Does “Project 2025” Fit Into This?
Several parts of the plan reflect ideas from “Project 2025,” a conservative policy blueprint designed to reshape the federal government. The education chapter of that plan called for reducing the size and power of the Education Department and shifting many of its responsibilities.
Lindsey Burke, the lead author of that chapter, now serves as a top policy official at the Education Department. This connection has fueled concerns that the current changes are not just about efficiency, but about a long-term plan to weaken the federal role in public education.
Why Are Some Republicans And Education Groups Concerned?
Reaction to the plan has not followed simple party lines. While some Republicans strongly support the move, others are warning that the Education Department’s core functions are too important to break apart.
Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Pennsylvania, argued that the department’s main offices are not optional. He said they are “foundational” because they:
- Protect students’ civil rights.
- Work to expand access to education.
- Help ensure that children across the country get a fair chance to succeed.
Education advocates and policy experts are also pushing back. Some say the plan is “wasteful and illegal,” warning that it will:
- Disrupt long-standing programs that schools depend on.
- Create confusion as responsibilities are scattered across many agencies.
- Make it harder for students, families, and schools to know where to turn for help.
Teachers’ unions have been especially vocal. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, accused the administration of trying to “rob students of their futures” by weakening federal support at a time when many schools already struggle with funding, staffing, and learning loss.
How Much Does The Federal Government Actually Spend On Schools?
One key fact in this debate is the size of the federal role in school funding. According to congressional estimates, roughly 10 cents of every dollar spent on local schools comes from the federal government. Most money comes from state and local sources, like state budgets and property taxes.
Supporters of the administration’s plan use this point to argue that schools would be fine with a smaller federal department. They also point to the recent federal government shutdown, when most Education Department workers were furloughed, but schools stayed open and classes continued.
The Education Department itself leaned into that moment on social media, posting memes and comments that suggested many people did not miss the agency while it was closed. Critics, though, say that short-term disruptions are different from long-term changes, and that the real impact of this plan will be felt over years, not weeks.
What Could This Mean For Students, Teachers, And Schools?
The full impact of the changes will depend on how quickly and how smoothly programs move to their new agencies. Some possible effects include:
- More confusion in the short term as school leaders try to figure out which agency now runs which program.
- Gaps in support if transfers are not handled well and money or staff resources are delayed.
- Weaker civil rights enforcement if offices that once worked closely together are broken apart across different departments.
- A new power balance between states and the federal government on questions like school accountability and access to higher education.
There is also a symbolic impact. The Education Department was created to show that the federal government had a strong, central interest in promoting equal access to quality education. Shrinking that department, and moving its programs elsewhere, sends a clear signal about the administration’s priorities.
What Happens Next?
Some parts of the plan may move forward through internal agency actions and new agreements between departments. Other parts are likely to face legal challenges or pushback in Congress.
To fully shut down the Education Department, Congress would need to pass a law. That would likely trigger an intense political battle, since it would reshape more than four decades of federal education policy.
In the meantime, school districts, colleges, teachers, and families will be watching closely. They will be looking for clear guidance on:
- Where to apply for grants and aid.
- Which agency enforces civil rights protections.
- How student support programs will change, if at all.
For now, one thing is clear: the Trump administration has taken a bold step toward its goal of shrinking the federal role in education. Whether this becomes a lasting shift or a short-lived experiment will depend on how Congress, the courts, and voters respond in the months ahead.
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